Hand feed table for duplicating machnes



Feb. 25, 1958 H. F. BRUNS 2,824,737

HAND FEED TABLE FOR DUPLICATING MACHINES Filed June 6. i952 2Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

flerrf ['23 raw A445, /Z gj '4 M United States Patent 6 f FEED TABLE FORDUPLICATING MACHINES Herbert F. Bruns, Chicago, 111., assignor to Ditto,Incorporated, Chicago, 111., a corporation of West Vlrgima ApplicationJune 6, 1952, Serial No. 292,174

9 Claims. (Cl. 271-8) This invention relates to a feed table forduplicating machines or the like, and more particularly to an auxiliaryfeed table which may be in the form of an attachment adapted to beremovably secured to the existing, stack supporting feed table, whichexisting table is adapted to cooperate with a suitable feeding mechanismto automatically feed paper sheets into the machine, one by one, inconventional duplicating machines.

A duplicating machine of the offset lithographic type, with which thepresent invention is particularly adapted to be used, is disclosed inapplicants copending application, Serial No. 154,009, filed April 5,1950, now Patent No. 2,753,795. The sheet feeder disclosed in thatapplication is characterized as being capable of delivering sheetsaccurately, one by one, at rates as high as from 12,000 to 15,000 perhour. The feeding from a suitable stack of sheets .placed on the stacksupporting feed table in that device is entirely automatic. However, itis sometimes desirable to be able to feed only a relatively small numberof sheets into the machine by hand, either as a group, or one by one,and without some special provision having been made therefor, it isquite difiicult to adapt the automatic mechanism to this hand feedingeven though provision is made for reducing the speed of the machine.This difiiculty stems largely from the fact that the feed table in sucha machine when in the operative position, without having thereon, willbe actually abutting the lower extremities of the suction feed whichnormally pick up the sheets individually from the table. to feed sheetsto the machine one at a time, for example, it will be necessary tooperate the control that raises and lowers the table so as tomomentarily lower the table out of contact with the suction feet, sothat a sheet may be placed on the table in the proper position to bepicked up by the feet. The table may then be raised to the normalposition and the sheet will be picked up by the feet in the normalfashion. Every time an additional sheet is fed, this process must be.repeated.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide :a feed table forduplicating machines or the like which is particularly adapted for thehand feeding of either Patented Feb. 25, 1958 a time after they havebeen placed in position on the table.

Another object of this invention is to provide a feed table which ispivotally mounted at the end nearest theoperator and which is activatedso as to cause the end farthest from the operator and in associationwith the automatic feeding mechanism to be moved periodically up anddown, into and out of direct association with the automatic feedingmechanism.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a simple controlwhich will permit the feed table, which moves in the oscillatory mannerjust described, with a" locking mechanism or latch which can beactivated as desired to maintain the table in its lowermost positionout' of direct association with the automatic feeding mechanism, so thatthe desired number of sheets to be fed can be readily placed on thetable while the latter is so latched.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the characterdescribed which may be activated directly from the automatic feedingmechanism and therefore is operated in complete synchronism therewith.

A further object is to provide a device of the character described whichis easy to attach and also quite simple in construction and operation,but which is nevertheless very effective and positive in its action.

. similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the sheets disposedThis means that in order single sheets or a relatively small number ofsheets and V which does not require the operation of the height controlmechanism every time a single sheet is fed.

Another object of this invention is to provide adevice of the characterdescribed which is in the form of an attachment for a conventional feedtable which is adapted to be quickly and conveniently mounted inassociation therewith. 7

Still another object of this invention is to provide a device of thecharacter described which permits the operator to feed into associationwith the automatic feed several views.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a view in side elevation of one form of feed tableincorporating the present invention, the feed table being shown inassociation with a fragmentary portion of a duplicating machine;

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of another form of feed tableembodying the present invention, the table again being shown inassociation with a fragmentary portion of a duplicating machine; and

Figure 3 is an end view in elevation of the feed table and thefragmentary portion of a duplicating machine cants copending applicationreferred to above is there shown. The table or platform 10 forms thefeed table of that machine and is adapted to support a stack of papersheets which are fed automatically into the machine. This feed table 10is movably supported between two side plates 12 and 13 (Figure 3), oneof these side.

plates 13 having been removed, in Figure 1. The feed. table 10 isadapted to be moved upwardly by a suitable; bellows arrangement 15 sothat the stack of sheets dis-- posed thereon can be brought intoassociation with the feeding mechanism, indicated generally by thenumeral 14. The sheet feeder 14 is provided with a pair of reciprocatingsuctionfeet 16 and 18, which are vacuum operated, and an intermittentlymovable perforated belt 20, all as best shown in Figure '3. Theperforated belt 20 travels along under the, suction box 22 and receivesthe sheets fed into the machine from the suction feet 16 and 18 so as.toadvance them, one by one, into the ma-: chine all as describedindetail in the-above identified copending application,

stack of sheets on the table 10.

The. belt :20. is .driven1by suitable,- drive mechanism within thesuction box 22, the drive shaft 30 therefor ,e x..

tending outwardly on both. sides of. the suction. 110x22 intoassociation with the side platesnof themat-fhine as best shown inFigurer3. Suitable control-mechanismsare provided so.that-the stack ofsheets supported .bythetable 10, when: the machine is inoperation, isnormally positioned so that the uppermost sheet is incontact with thesuction feet 16 and 18 when,they are. in the lowermost position.When-suction is-applied to thesefeet, the uppermost sheet is grippedtherebyand-immediately. thereafter the feet and thesheet sogripped arelifted upwardly so that the sheet is brought into association with thesuction belt 20. The sheet i s-t-hen transferred to thebelt .20 so thatit can be moved forwardly into association with further elements of themachine, not shown.

As previously mentioned, the feed table is provided with a bellowsindicated generally by the numeral in Figure 1, the upper end of whichis constituted by a wedge shaped, block 32 having a downwardly andforwardly inclined upper surface upon which the platform or table 10 ismounted in forwardly and downwardly inclined relation. The side edges ofthe platform or table 10 are provided with the mounting plates 34 and 36each having a pair of outwardly projecting studs 38 upon which aremounted guide rollers (not shown) disposed in vertical slots (not shown)in the side plates 12 and 13. .T he bellows 15 has a rigid bottom plate40 which in turn issupported bythe tie-rods 42 and 44. extending betweenthe sideplates-IZ and 13.

Mounted upon the upper surface of the platform. 10 are adjustable sideguides 46 and 48, each havinga base 50 adapted to be secured by aclamping screw 52 inthe desired position of lateral adjustment on theouter end of the table 10, the lower extremity of the clamping'screw 52being adapted to be received in the-transverse groove 54 in the steppedend portion 56 of the table 10. The side guides 46 and.48 are eachprovidedwith a laterally turned flange 58 and 60, respectively, and asimilar flange 62 and 64 at the opposite end thereof. In eachpair ofsuch flanges a shaft 66 is,rnounted for rotation, the shafts havingknobs 68 secured thereon at their forward ends. These shaftsare adaptedto carry tail guides (not. shown) which may have the constructiondisclosed. in applicants copending application, Serial No. 86,325,filedon April 8, 1949, now Patent No. 2,652,249. These tail, guides maybe swung upwardly andlaterally by turningtheseassociatedkr obs 68,thereby facilitating theplacingof a stack of sheets on the table 10.Thereafter they may be swung downwardly and forwardly to make firmengagement with the stack on the table.

Eachof the side guides 46 and 48 is provided with an aperture 70adjacent the outer edge thereof, -which apertures are adapted. toreceive the outer extremities of the ley 76. A flexible drive belt 88 isdisposed between the two pulleys 76 and 84 and because of the eccentriccharacter of the pulley 84 the table 74 is caused to oscillate about theshaft 72 as the shaft 30 and the pulley 84 rotate. The table 74 is shownin the extreme downward position in Figure l, the extreme upwardposition also being shown therein.in dottedlines.

It will be noted that the table 74 when in the extreme upward positionis brought into contact with the suction foot 18-, This means that if asheet or a number of sheets have been placed on the table 74 so as toabut the guide block 28, the leading edge thereof will be brought intoassociation with the lower extremity of the suction foot 18 when thetable 74 is moved into the position represented by the dotted lines inFigure 1. The pulley 84 should be so disposed on the shaft 30 that thetable 74 will'reach this, position just prior to the application ofsuction, to the feet 18. Obviously when the table 74. is l in thelowermost position, a sheet or a number of sheets i can be-quicklyplaced in position against the guideblocks 26 and-2 8, as shown inFigure 3 and the uppermost sheet 1 will. he picked up by the suctionfoot when the table If desired, a single sheet may be fed intothisvposition of abutment with the 6 moves, into the uppermost position.

guide blocks 26 and 28 each time the table 74 drops to the lowermostposition. sheets. on the auxiliary table 74, a. laterally adjustableside guide 90 may beprovided as best shown in Figure 3.

An alternative form of auxiliary feed table is shown I in Figure 2. Thistable differs from the form just described in that the form of drive isslightly altered and I a latching mechanism is also provided. The innerend of the, auxiliary table 92, shown in Figure 2, is provided with asupport 94 for a cam member 96, the support being mounted on the uppersurface of the auxiliary table 92 at one side thereof. An eccentric cam98, similarto the eccentric pulley 84 previously described, is mountedon the shaft 30 in the same vertical plane as the cam or roller 96 sothat if the roller 96 is urged against the cam a reciprocal oscillatingmovement will be imparted to the table 92. A spring 100 may be providedto exert an upward force on the table 92, the spring being disposedbetween the table 92 and the conventional table 10. For convenieng theupper end of the spring 100 may be secured to the underside of the table.921 so that when the latter is put in -place inthe same fashionas thetable shown in Figure 1, the spring 100 will automatically be seated onthe table 10 in an operable position.

The .outer end of the auxiliary table 92 is adapted to be pivotallymountediu substantially the same manner as .the table 74 previouslydescribed, the shaft 72 being adapted to be. received in the aperture 70in each of the side guidesassociated with thetable 10. Sincethe outershaft 72 upon which the. outer end of the auxiliary feed table 74 ismounted. The ends of the shaft 72 may be inserted in the aperture 70 byfirst moving the side guides 46 and 48 outwardly a sufficient distanceto permit the shaft 72 to be inserted therebetween. When the ends of theshaft'arealigned with the opening 70, the side guides may be movedinwardly. so that the ends of the shaft project therethrough, asbestshown in Figure 3. The outer-end of the'table 74.is thenpivotallymounted with respect to the side guides which are secured in place afterbeing moved inwardly toreceive theends oftheshaft 72. The inner end ofthe auxiliary table 74 may have a pulley 76 rotatably mounted on theundersurfacethereof on a ft ic roje ts a eral y beyon t e side; of. ther bl he sh f 8 s, a ri. d. n.tu n y emqun end oftheauxjiliary table 92is pivotally. mountedin the manner just mentioned, the inner end:thereof and the r roller 96 will normally oscillate up and down as theshaft 30 rotates the eccentric.cam 98. against which the roller96.is,urged.by the spring 199. During such oscillatory moyernentof, theauxiliary tablei9l2, if it is desired to feed s eets on /at a time. intothennachine, the sheets can be 6 fed, .or. placed :onto the table -inabutting relation with the guide blocks previously described when theauxiliary table..92 isoutof associationwithlthe lower end of thesuction. foot 18, If,'f0r example, theatable 92 is. in the extremedownward position as;sho wnzin full lines in Fig- Y ureLeither; asingle;sheet or asmallstack of sheets can readily be placed onto the table 92before the table 92 rises into association Iwith the. foot 18.

.Imorder-tonsimplify. the feeding, the auxiliarytablemay;:.be;,pr,oyided with a latching mechanism as shown infiigureflwhichwillpermit'the auxiliary table to beckedximthe extreme downwardposition, and whenrelcascdwilliallow the .tableto again move insynchronism with the remainder. of the feeding mechanism ofthe-ma.-

To facilitate the positioning of china. This latching mechanism, asshown in Figure 2, comprises the two support members 102 and 104 whichextend downwardly from the undersurface of the table 92 and which areadapted to have the rod. 106 slidably journalled therein. The innerextremity 108 of the rod 106 is so disposed when the table 92 is in theextreme downward position, that it mayenter the opening 110 provided inthe mounting plate 111 for the sheet separator 24. The rod 106 isnormally held out of association with the opening 110 by the spring 112which is disposed between the mounting 104 and the stop or collar member114, the latter being mounted on the rod 106. A similar stop or collarmember 116 is provided on the rod 106 on the opposite side of themounting member 104 to limit the movement of the rod 106 in a directionaway from the opening 110.

The inner end 108 of the rod 106 is provided with an area of reduceddiameter 117 terminating in a flange member 118. The flange 118 isadapted to cooperate with the upper edge of the opening 110 in themounting plate 111 so that when the table 92 is urged upwardly by thespring 100, a suflicient distance so that the end of the rod is inabutment with the edge of the opening 110, the rod cannot be withdrawnfrom that opening. This means that once the rod 106 has been inserted inthe opening 110, and the table 92 has moved upwardly, the rod 106 cannotbe removed from that opening until the table 92 has again been moveddownwardly to the extreme downward position, so that the flange 118 willclear through the opening 110. This means that after the table 92 hasbeen locked in the extreme downward position it will not again beunlocked until the cam 98 has moved in such a way as to depress thetable slightly in order to clear the flange 118 from the upper edge ofthe opening 110.

For convenient operation of the latching mechanism just described, acontrol plate 120 may be provided which may be pivotally mounted on theshaft 72 through the arms 122 so that it projects outwardly from 'justbelow the outer end of the auxiliary table 92 and may be readilyoperated by the heel of the hand of the operator. The plate 120 isprovided with a depending flange portion 124 which is adapted to abutthe forward extremity 126 of the rod 106 and also forms a closure memberto fill the gap between the front edge of the auxiliary table 92 and thefront edge of the conventional table 10. Depression of the pressureplate 120 to the position shown in the dotted lines in Figure 2, willtherefore cause the rod 106 to be moved inwardly so that the innerextremity 108 thereof takes the position shown in dotted lines withinthe opening 110. As long as the plate 120 is maintained in the depressedposition by the hand of the operator, the table 92 will remain in theextreme downward position since it will be latched in the mannerpreviously described. Once every revolution of the eccentric cam 98 thetable 92 will be moved downward slightly a suificient distance to clearthe flange 118. from the edge of the opening 110, but since the rod 106is being held in the inward position by the depressed pressure plate 120and the arm 124 formed integrally therewith, the only result will be aslight movement of the table 92 in a downward direction once everyrevolution. The table 92 can thus be held in a position which willenable it to receive the desired number of sheets to be fed withouthaving to synchronize the placing of the sheets on the table with anymovement of the latter member.

As soon as it is desired to begin the automatic feeding after a stack ofsheets has been placed on the table 92, the pressure plate 120 may bereleased, so that when the forward end of the table 92 is depressed tothe extreme position by movement of the eccentric cam 98 the spring 112will operate to move the rod 106 in a direction away from the opening110 and will withdraw the end 108 of the rod from the opening 110 sothat the table 92 will be free to move upwardly as urged by the springmember 100. It may thus be seen that thetable 92 will always beunlatched at the same point in the cycleof operation and that thereforethe desirable synchronism of the feeding will always be maintained.

sheets are being fed one at a time onto the table 92, it will notnormally be necessary to operate the latching mechanism since a sheetmay be dropped onto the table and moved into association with the guideblocks when the table 92 is out of association with the suction foot 18.The pressure plate 120, however, may be readily depressed at any time toautomatically move the rod 106 in the latching position when the table92 reaches the downward end of its travel, to momentarily arrest themovement of the table 92, or to maintain it in the extreme downwardposition while a small stack of sheets is being placed thereon.

When it is desired to hand feed sheets one at a time into a machine ofthe character disclosed in the copending patent application firstmentioned above, it may also be desirable to modify the manner in whichthe moisture is applied to the plate. This is true because, under normalconditions of operation, in the duplicating machine described in theapplication mentioned moisture is applied to the printing plate onlywhen sheets are actually being fed. Therefore even though the machinewere run ning and an auxiliary feed table of the type described in thisapplication were oscillating up and down. or latched in the extremedownward position, moisture would not be applied to the printing plate.The plate would therefore tend to dry out, primarily because of therotation of the cylinder upon which it is mounted. In other words, in ahand feeding operation there may be substantial gaps of time between thefeeding of one sheet and the next,

and during such a period of time considerable drying can occur if nomoisture is being applied.

To overcome this difficulty the electrical circuit which controls theapplication of moisture to the plate may be modified so as to include acontrol switch which can be operated when the auxiliary feed table isput in place on the machine. Such a switch should operate when closed tocause moisture to be applied to the plate when the machine is running,whether or not sheets are actually being fed through the machine. Thisin effect provides a suitable standby position for the relatively longperiods of time which may elapse in the hand feeding of sheets when nosheets are being fed.

In the drawing and specification, there has been set forth a preferredembodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed,they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not forpurposes of limitation. Changes in form and in the proportion of parts,as well as the substitution of equivalents are contemplated, ascircumstances may suggest or render expedient, without departing fromthe spirit or scope of this invention as further defined in thefollowing claims.

It is claimed:

1. An auxiliary sheet supporting feed table for a duplicating machinehaving a sheet feeding mechanism, a stack supporting feed table andstack side guides, said auxiliary table comprising a plate having anouter end and an inner end, a pivot member at said outer end of saidplate journaled in said stack side guides so that said plate ispivotally supported above said stack supporting feed table, an eccentriccam member coupled to said sheet feeding mechanism, a cam followermember carried by said plate, a resilient member normally urging saidplate upwardly so that said cam follower is held in association withsaid eccentric cam member, and a locking mechanism located at said innerend for holding said plate out of association with said feed mechanism.

2. An auxiliary sheet supporting feed table for a duplicating machinehaving a sheet feeding mechanism, a stack supporting feed table andstack side guides, said auxiliary table comprising a plate having anouter end and an inner end, a pivot member at said outer end of said 7plate journaled in saidstack side guidesso that said plate is pivotallysupported above'said stack-supporting feed table, an eccentric cammember coupled, to said sheet feeding mechanism, a roller carried bysaid inner end of said plate, a cam follower carried by said plate, anda resilient member normally urging said plate upwardly so that said camfollower is held in association with said eccentric cam member.

3. An auxiliary sheet supporting feed table for a duplicating machinehaving a sheet feeding mechanism, a stack supporting feed table andstack side guides, said auxiliary table comprising a plate having anouter end and an inner end, a pivot member at said outer end of' saidplate journaled in said stack side guides so that said plate ispivotally supported above said stack supporting feed table, an eccentricpulley coupled to said sheet feeding mechanism of said duplicatingmachine, a second-pulley carried by said inner end of said plate, and aflexible beltcarried by said pulleys so that as said eccentric pulleyrevolves the upper surface of said plate is periodically brought; intoassociation with said feeding mechanism at a particular point in theoperating cycle thereof.

4. An auxiliary sheet supporting feed table for a'duplicating machinehaving a sheet feeding mechanism pro vided with a drive shaft, a stacksupporting feed table and stack side guides, said auxiliary tablecomprising a plate having an outer end and an inner end, a- .pivotmember at said outer end of said plate journaled-insaid stack sideguides so that-said plate is pivotally-supported above said stacksupporting feed table, an eccentric member coupled to said sheetfeeding=mechanism driven by said sheet feeding mechanism, and-arotatable member mounted on said plate coacting with said-eccentricmember to impart an oscillatory motion to saidinner end of said plate sothat the upper surface-of said-plate" is periodically brought intoassociation withsaidfeeding mechanism at a particular point in theoperating cycle thereof, and a locking mechanism located at thesaidinner end for holding said plate out of association-with said feedmechanism.

5. An auxiliary sheet supporting 'feed table fora'duplieating machinehaving a sheet feeding mechanism provided with a drive shaft, a stacksupporting feed table and stack side guides, said auxiliarytable-comprisinga plate having an outer end and aninner end; a pivotmember at the outer end of said plate journaledin said stack side guidesso that said plate is pivotally supported abovesaid stacksupporting-feed table, an eccentric member coupled to and driven by saiddrive-shaftof said sheet feedingmechanism, and arotatablemember'mountedon said inner end ofsaid plate coacting with said eecentric member toimpart an oscillatory motion to said inner end so that theuppersurfaceof said plate-is periodically brought into associationwithsaid feeding;

mechanism at a particular point in the operating cyele thereof.

6. A duplicating machine comprising a sheet feedi ng mechanism providedwith a drive shaft; a stack supporting feed table and stack side guides;and an auxiliary sheet supporting feed table comprising a-plate, a-pivotmemberat the end of said plate furthest removed-from-said-feedmechanismjournaled in said stack side guides with said plate pivotally supportedabove said. stack supporting-feed table, an eccentric member coupled toand driven by' said drive shaft, and a rotatable member mounted on' saidplate coacting with said eccentric member to cause said plate to move insynchronism wih said feed mechanism so that the upper surface of saidplate is periodically brought into association with said feedingmechanism at a particular point in the operating cycle thereof.

7. A sheet supporting feed table for a duplicating machine having asheet feeding mechanism comprising a plate having an inner end and anouter end, said plate pivotallysupported at said outer end, an eccentricmember coupled to and driven by said sheet feeding mechanism, andarotatable member mounted on said inner end of said plate and coactingwith said eccentric mem her to cause said plate to move in synchronismwith said feed mechanism so that the upper surface of said plate isperiodically brought into association with said-feeding mechanism at aparticular point in the operating cycle thereof, alatch member adapted,whenactivated, to hold end of ,said platercoacting withsaid member tocause said plate to move insynchronism with said feed mechanism so thatthe upper surface: of: said. plate is periodically brought intoassociation with said feeding mechanism at a particular point in theoperating cycle thereof, and a latch member comprising; a.rod slidablymounted. tothe undersurfaceof said plate normally held, out. of locked.position by a spring member.

9. A sheet supporting feed table 'for a duplicatingmachine having asheet feeding mechanism providedwith a drive shaft comprising, a platehaving an inner end and an outer end, saidouterend pivotally supportedat a point spaced from said sheet feeding mechanism, a cam coupled tosaid drive shaft sheet feeding mechanism, a cam follower memberrotatably mounted on said inner end of said plate and coacting with saidcam to cause said inner end of said plate to move in synchronism withsaid feed mechanism so that the upper surface of said plate is peri- Yodically brought into association with said feeding mechanism at aparticular, point in the operating cycle'thereof, a latch member forholding said plate outof association with said sheet feeding mechanism,including a rod normally held out of locking association by aspringmember,

and a control member at saidcuter end of said'plate for activating saidlatch member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS283,906 Lauten Aug. 28, 1883 749,113 Sternberg Jan. 5, 1904 1,972,421Johnson Sept. 4, 1934 2,081,386 Storck May 25,1937 2,492,577 Janke Dec.27, 1949

